The Amazon TV Firestick was originally brought to the market in 2014. In 2017 in the U.S. over 35 million smart home devices were sold. The Firestick works by plugging into a HDMI port in your TV. The device connects to your WiFi network and transforms your TV into a smart TV.
The problem, however, is that much of the content contained on the Firestick is geo-location locked. Dependent on where you live (region or country), you’ll be able to view and stream specific TV shows and films that can’t be accessed elsewhere.
We’ve reviewed some of the best VPNs for Amazon Firestick which enables you to change your IP address to match a country or region that you desire, unlocking all the content you need. As well as unlocking geo-locked content, a VPN can also offer a faster and more efficient streaming experience.
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I’m sure many users can relate to connecting to streaming services and encountering the frustration that is buffering. VPN’s can battle internet throttling and allow you to bypass speed restrictions. This means you can enjoy streaming your favourite services with zero buffers and high speeds.
In order to enjoy your Amazon Firestick to its full capacity, I’ve put together a guide to the best VPN’s for Firestick. I’ve looked at speed, performance, usability, and security in order to assess what VPN is best for you. When it comes to streaming, it’s important to consider:
- Availability of servers across the globe (speed can be affected by short or long connections, so the more servers, the more chance of finding a suitable one)
- Download speed (the last thing you want when streaming TV shows or films is buffering and throttling speeds, causing a frustrating experience)
- Usability of VPN (lots of VPN providers are now offering specific apps for your favourite streaming services like Amazon TV Firestick)
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1. NordVPN
NordVPN comes in first place, with it’s decent performance and speeds on short and long connections. This VPN offers lots of servers to choose from, so if you’re struggling with one, the hundreds of others are sure to suit your needs. One thing that stands out for me with NordVPN is that they provide lots of tutorials and guides in order to setup your VPN and router.
Similar to some of it’s competitors, NordVPN also has a dedicated Android app that you can download from the Amazon Appstore. The Fire TV compatible app enables you to stream from Amazon TV with ultra speeds and reliability.
Because of it’s setup, NordVPN is ideal for users who want to stream their favourite TV shows and films. As well as being great for Amazon Firestick, NordVPN can unblock U.S. Netflix and the popular Hulu. There’s no need to worry about whether your information is being stored either. NordVPN is based in Panama, and runs a strict zero-logs policy with exceptional security standards.
NordVPN makes streaming from Amazon Firestick extremely secure. It provides double data encryption should you decide to use it. It also follows all the usual major security protocols. Coupled with its no logs policy, it’s going to be pretty difficult (if not impossible) for someone to track your connection.
If you want to give NordVPN a go, they offer a free trial, and a 30-day money-back guarantee on their pricing plans. Plans start from as little as $3.71 per month.
Does NordVPN Sound Right For You?
NordVPN Pros:
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Incredibly large server network (5100+ server locations in 62 countries)
- Unlimited bandwidth and data
- Strict no-logging of user activity policy
- Unblocks Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu etc
- Double encryption
- Easy to use VPN apps
- 24/7 customer support (live chat, email, ticket system)
- P2P/Torrenting allowed
NordVPN Cons:
- Discounts don’t apply to longer subscriptions
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2. Surfshark
Surfshark is another good option if you want a VPN for your Firestick.
Surfshark is one of the newer VPNs on the market but it already has an incredible reputation.
The VPN supports the following Fire TV generations:
- 3rd-Gen Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
- 4K Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
- 2nd-Gen Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
It is really easy to use Surfshark on your Firestick. Simply log-in to your account, and then search for Surfshark on your Firestick device. Simply install the VPN, log-in, and connect. It is that easy.
There are a lot of benefits associated with Surfshark. It is a highly effective kill switch, as well as giving you the ability to connect a limitless number of devices. It is not hard to see why this VPN has gotten so popular.
Does Surfshark Sound Right For You?
Surfshark Pros:
- User-friendly VPN apps for popular platforms
- Optimized VPN servers for torrenting
- VPN kill switch & no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks
- Unblocks US Netflix & BBC iPlayer
- Decent speeds
Surfshark Cons:
- Newer VPN service
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3. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a great VPN provider for Amazon Firestick. It’s such a great all-rounder, and provides an exceptional service for Amazon TV Firestick users. With over 2000 servers in nearly 100 countries, ExpressVPN offers a versatile VPN experience.
In terms of speed, ExpressVPN is a real contender. My experience is that speeds didn’t really change too much when connecting to long-distance locations. The speed drop was only fractionally lower than at ‘home’, which was barely noticeable.
As well as offering a user-friendly desktop app, ExpressVPN is pretty popular with it’s mobile apps (especially its new android app). The android app works brilliantly with other Android streaming services like Amazon Firestick. Simply launch the app and it will conveniently advise the best location to connect to in order to receive the fastest speeds.
If you’ve never used a VPN before, you’ll be pleased to hear that ExpressVPN offer fantastic technical support. They are available 24/7 via live chat, so you can be reassured that someone is on hand to answer your queries whenever, wherever.
ExpressVPN uses OpenVPN protocol, with 256-bit encryption. What’s more, this VPN operates a zero-logs policy, meaning you’ll never need to be worried about the company collecting your data. As well as being our best VPN for Amazon Firestick users, ExpressVPN also unblocks Netflix U.S., BBC iPlayer, and more.
The only real downfall, if you can call it that, is the price. ExpressVPN isn’t the cheapest VPN service, but when you consider what it offers, it’s certainly worth paying for! If you’re looking for the best Amazon Firestick VPN service, look no further than ExpressVPN, starting from $8.32 per month.
Does ExpressVPN Sound Right For You?
ExpressVPN Pros:
- Easy to use
- No logging whatsoever
- 24/7 live customer support
- Works on lots of devices
- Easy to Super fast servers
ExpressVPN Cons:
- Costly if you pay monthly
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4. IPVanish
IPVanish offers it’s users unlimited bandwidth and data for video streaming. This makes it a popular choice for Amazon Firestick users, Kodi users, and other streaming services. In terms of performance, IPVanish delivers solid speeds in both short and long-distance connections. In fact, in some cases, it’s 5 times faster than it’s competitors!
IPVanish have great global coverage, with plenty of servers to choose from. Subscribers can connect 5 simultaneous devices at any one time, as well as a handy app for mobile users. The app itself is great for Amazon Fire TV customers and can be used with the Fire TV remote – very nifty!
If things weren’t already favourable, IPVanish have created an app specifically for Amazon Firestick. You can simply search for IPVanish on Amazon’s app store to find the app which is also compatible with your TV remote. It’s really easy to setup and offers automatic IP switching, giving you the fastest servers for your needs.
Does IPVanish Sound Right For You?
IPVanish Pros:
- Strong encryption
- No logging
- Configurable software to suit your needs
- Good download speed
IPVanish Cons:
- No live chat
- US-based
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5. CyberGhost
Romanian and German-based CyberGhost also have a dedicated Amazon Firestick app on the Appstore. They offer plenty of tutorials and guides to connect to your chosen devices, so finding answers to your questions shouldn’t be difficult.
When you connect to CyberGhost, you’ll be able to choose a server dependent on what streaming service you’re using. If you want the best Amazon Firestick connection, CyberGhost will make suggestions to offer you the fastest speeds and most enjoyable user experience. But, you’re not forced to take up their advice, giving you the control should you want it.
Whether you’re using Amazon TV, BBC iPlayer or Netflix, CyberGhost makes it easy to unblock these popular streaming services. Their speeds are decent enough to enjoy high-quality HD videos without the frustration of constant buffering. Their no-logs policy also means that your details and data will never be stored.
CyberGhost have VPN apps for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. They follow strict security protocols, including IKEv2 and OpenVPN with 256-AES encryption. Although they don’t offer a free trial, they do offer a 45-day money-back guarantee, which I think is pretty generous considering the competition.
Their pricing packages start from as little as £2.50 per month on a 3 year plan, creeping up to £11.99 per month on a monthly basis. Considering their one of the best VPN’s for Amazon TV Firestick, I’d say that’s pretty reasonable!
Does CyberGhost Sound Right For You?
CyberGhost Pros:
- Good for streaming including Netflix
- Priced well for long-term clients
- Stable speeds
- Multi-platform support
- Huge network layout across the globe
CyberGhost Cons:
- Limited payment options
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6. VyprVPN
VyprVPN provides insanely high speeds, offering exceptional download rates which will please users who enjoy streaming in 4K or HD. Keeping up with the competition, they offer hundreds (nearly a thousand) servers in over 70 countries across the world.
This VPN provider also offers it’s own Amazon TV Firestick app which is available to download on the Amazon appstore. When users connect to the app, they’ll be presented with the best and fastest servers available to stream TV shows and films via Firestick. The app conveniently displays upload and download speed information, as well as ping, so you can decide the best server for you.
VyprVPN proudly support OpenVPN and Chameleon security protocols. Chameleon is this VPN’s own solution to avoid deep packet inspection. It also prevents your connection from being identified or throttled, making it an excellent choice for Firestick users.
As well as it’s fast speeds and great security, VyprVPN operate a no logs policy for the majority of your data. Some connection time and IP address logging does take place though, so this may (or may not) suit your streaming needs.
Like many other VPN providers, VyprVPN offer a 3 day trial, so you can test the waters to see if it’s the best VPN for Firestick. If you’re happy to commit to a yearly plan, you can enjoy their premium service from only £4.79 per month billed on a yearly basis.
Does VyprVPN Sound Right For You?
VyprVPN Pros:
- 24/7 support with live chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Up to 5 simultaneous connections allowed
- Strong security features
- Doesn't keep logs
VyprVPN Cons:
- Relatively small server network
